"Keeping Back The Geulah"

(Picture courtesy of wikipedia)

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So, even though I'm the charedi type, I have to admit that when black doesn't seem so beautiful, I just put on my Breslov sunglasses and reason: what's the difference if people behave one way or another? I've just got to get myself straight. Why should I let other people throw me? Who has time to think about what other people are doing?

Once I was in a clothing store in Meah Shearim, and the charedi-attired storekeeper kept gazing out the window. She must have assumed from my style of dress that I thought like she did, because she sighed enormously and said, in Yiddish:

"Just look at that! Look how they're keeping back the geulah."

"Who is?" I'm so innocent. And, B"H, I speak Yiddish.

"Those girls with short sleeves."

"Oh, them? THEY are the ones who are keeping back the geulah?"

"Of course! Somebody should set them straight." she raged.

"Thanks. I'm glad you told me. You took a load off my shoulders."

"Why?" She had suddenly stopped raging. I didn't look up. I just kept looking through the dresses on the rack.

"Because," I told her, "Until now, I thought it was ME that was keeping back the geulah." I found a comfortable looking outfit. It was a decent shade of blue.

Slowly, the lady came over and shook my hand. She had tears in her eyes.

"Yashar Koach." was all she said.